The Bull Rider's Son by Cathy McDavid

Author:Cathy McDavid
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-02-25T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Benjie wriggled and tugged at the collar of the shirt Cassidy was attempting to button up.

“Please, sweetie,” she coaxed. “Settle down.”

“I don’t like the shirt.”

“But you picked it out.” Wanting him to look his best for this first meeting with Hoyt, she’d driven him into Globe yesterday specifically to buy him a new outfit. Benjie had chosen a pair of Wranglers—go figure—and a Western-cut shirt that looked a lot like the ones his uncle Shane wore. Cassidy didn’t think it was a coincidence.

“This is itchy,” he complained and tugged again on the collar.

She doubted that. More likely, her son was nervous. They both were. Cassidy had been in a constant state of agitation since her conversation with Hoyt—which intensified a few days ago when he called to advise her of his travel plans.

Telling Benjie that his father and his father’s wife were coming to meet him had gone surprisingly well. Since his birthday, and especially since meeting Shane and Bria, Benjie had been fixated on the idea of a father. All of a sudden he had one, and he couldn’t be more excited.

All week he’d pestered Cassidy with questions. What was his father’s name? Where did he live? What was he like? Was he a champion bull rider like Uncle Shane? Did he look like Uncle Shane? Did he play baseball like Uncle Shane?

Sometimes, Cassidy thought he was more excited about Shane being his uncle than Hoyt being his father.

Then, yesterday, the questions began to change, as did Benjie’s mood. He became untypically reserved and quiet.

“What if he doesn’t like me?” he asked her again.

Cassidy bent and fed his belt through the loops on his jeans. “He likes you already and can’t wait to meet you.”

“Do I have to go see him in Wyoming?”

She had tried to explain the possible visitation schedule and now regretted it. “Jackson Hole is nice. Very different from Arizona.”

“But what if I hate it there? I won’t know anybody.”

“Nothing’s been decided yet.” She gave Benjie a hug before straightening.

“What do I call my stepmom?”

She’d also tried to explain the whole stepfamily concept. It was a lot for a six-year-old to comprehend.

“She and your father will tell you when they get here.”

Cheryl. Cassidy had been pondering her a lot lately. Was she friendly and personable? Patient and even tempered? Would she resent Benjie because of her own difficulty conceiving? Worse, what if he liked her? Would Cassidy be jealous?

Benjie crossed his arms and stuck out his lower lip. “I don’t want him to take me away like Grandpa took Uncle Ryder away.”

“Oh, sweetie.” She smoothed his hair, then kissed the top of his head. She should have been more careful and not let him overhear her conversations with her family. “Grandpa didn’t take Uncle Ryder away. It wasn’t like that.”

“But Uncle Ryder left.”

“Because he wanted to.”

“Well, I don’t want to leave.” The lip extended farther.

“Then you don’t have to.”

They finished dressing soon after that, and Cassidy told Benjie he could watch TV while they waited.

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